Trace and access means finding a hidden leak and getting to it. Detection on its own often costs around £300 to £1,200, and the total can reach £2,000 or more once a wall or floor has to be opened and made good. The reassuring part: most UK buildings insurance includes trace and access cover, so you usually pay only your excess.
If you have a hidden leak, the cost that worries most people is not the plumber. It is the unknown: how much will it cost to find the leak, and to dig, cut or lift to reach it? This guide gives honest 2026 figures for Cornwall homeowners, explains what your insurance is likely to pay, and shows how to keep the bill as low as possible.
What “trace and access” actually means
“Trace” is locating the leak. “Access” is getting to it, which can mean lifting floorboards, drilling a small hole in a wall, or breaking into a screed or concrete floor. The two are billed together because one leads to the other. You can read the full method on our trace and access service page.
Two costs sit outside trace and access and are worth separating in your head: repairing the actual pipe, and drying out or redecorating after water damage. Those are real, but they are not part of the “find and reach” bill.
How much does trace and access cost in 2026?
There are two parts to the price: the detection survey, and the access and making-good work. Comparison and trade sources put detection at roughly £550 to £1,250 on average, with simple checks lower and tricky underground or under-slab leaks higher. Access work ranges from a small charge for lifting boards to £2,000 to £3,000 where a concrete or tiled floor has to be broken out and relaid.
| Part of the job | Typical 2026 range | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Basic detection (water meter, surface check) | £120 to £300 | Leak is easy to reach and obvious |
| Standard survey (acoustic, thermal, tracer gas) | £300 to £800 | Most internal household leaks |
| Complex detection (underground mains, under-slab) | £800 to £1,250+ | Depth, length of pipe run, ground type |
| Access and making good | £150 to £3,000 | Floorboards (low) vs concrete or tile (high) |
These are a guide, not a quote. A leak under a suspended timber floor in a Truro flat and a leak under a tiled solid floor in a Bodmin farmhouse can land far apart on price. Always get the figure in writing before work starts.
Will my insurance pay for it?
Most likely, yes. Defaqto data widely reported by the comparison sites puts trace and access cover in about 97% of UK buildings insurance policies, with many capping it between £5,000 and £10,000 (around 63% of policies sit in the £5,000 to £9,999 band, and only a small share offer an unlimited or “reasonable” amount). In practice that limit comfortably covers a normal household trace and access job.
What the cover pays for: locating the leak, the access work to reach it, and making good the wall or floor afterwards. What it does not pay for: the pipe repair itself, or drying out the water damage. You also pay your policy excess. For the full breakdown of what insurers do and do not cover, see our guide to what trace and access insurance actually covers.
One thing makes claims smoother than anything else: a clear, written specialist report that names the leak location and the work needed. Insurers expect it, and it is the difference between a claim that is paid quickly and one that drags.
What makes the price go up or down
- Where the leak is. An accessible pipe under a sink is cheap to reach. A mains pipe buried two feet down the drive is not.
- The floor type. Lifting carpet and boards is minor. Breaking out and relaying concrete, screed or tile is where the cost climbs.
- How quickly it is found. Good non-invasive kit pinpoints the leak in one spot, so you pay to open one area, not several.
- Reinstatement finish. Plain screed costs less to put back than a matched stone or tiled floor.
How to keep the cost down (and the claim smooth)
Choose a specialist who locates the leak before lifting anything. Non-invasive detection means access is targeted, which keeps both the damage and the bill down. Ask for an insurance-ready written report so your claim is not held up. And act early: the longer a leak runs, the more water damage and drying-out you add on top of the trace and access itself. Our water leak guide covers the warning signs to watch for, and our water leak detection service explains how we find them across Cornwall.
Frequently asked questions
Is trace and access covered by home insurance?
Usually, yes. According to Defaqto, around 97% of UK buildings insurance policies include trace and access cover. It pays to find and reach the leak, and to make good afterwards, up to a set limit. You normally pay only your policy excess.
Does trace and access include fixing the leak?
No. Trace and access covers locating the leak and getting to it, plus repairing the wall or floor opened up to reach it. Repairing the failed pipe itself, and drying out any water damage, are handled separately, often elsewhere on the same policy.
How long does trace and access take?
Most home surveys take a few hours on site. A straightforward leak can be pinpointed the same morning; a buried mains or under-slab leak can take longer. You should leave with a clear location and a written report for your insurer.
Will the survey damage my floors or walls?
A good survey is non-invasive first. Acoustic listening, thermal imaging, tracer gas and moisture mapping locate the leak before anything is opened up, so access is targeted to one spot rather than lifting a whole floor on guesswork.
Do I pay if no leak is found?
Ask before you book. A reputable specialist is upfront about call-out and survey fees, and what happens if no leak is found, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Think you have a hidden leak in Cornwall?
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